German Plum Cake

Oma handed me a sack of plums last week and told me to use them before they went bad. I'm a BIG fan of receiving fresh fruit from gardens, but this was a grocery bag full! I racked my brain and finally gave in, I had no choice, I had to make her traditional German Plum Cake.

This recipe was a BEAST to make, not because it is hard, but because the cookbook I pulled it out of (the German Speaking Ward cookbook) didn't have the full recipe in one place. I had to find one, then skip to another, then to another.

Also, I don't know WHAT I did wrong with the Streussel (it just doesn't look right), but it tasted all the same, so we really didn't care, its still tasty!

Step One: Make your dough
Your dough has a name. It is called "Cream Cheese Oil Batter". Doesn't it just scream disgusting and tasty all at once? Here's what you'll need:

3 cups and 3 t flour
8 oz cream cheese
1 cup sugar
3 t oil
4 t baking powder
1 t butter
2 eggs

Mix all together, then let sit for 30 minutes. Once your 30 minutes are up, place in a well greased cookie sheet and roll well. (I used my fingers, but its because we couldn't find our rolling pin. Use a rolling pin.) Prick dough with a fork to ventilate it and prevent the bubbles!

Step Two: Cut the plums. I cut them in half, but you could have done them thinner. Place them on the dough "like shingles on the roof".

Now, you can toss this in the oven and cook at 350 for 30 minutes... OR you could rock the Streussel like I did and go onto Step three...

Step Three make your Streussel. You'll need,

2 cups flour
9 oz butter
1 cup and 8 t sugar
1 t vanilla

"Warm your butter and mix with all the other ingredients." Well, I took that as "make the butter squishy but not melted, so toss it in the microwave for 25 seconds." and I did just that. I mixed it well, then went to "sprinkle" it on my cake. Let me tell you a secret... theres no sprinkling it. So I took my spoonchula and spread it. It worked.

Once your done baking it, let sit for some time. The juices from the plums will escape and eek into every part of the cake it can, making it that much better. Enjoy your butt-ugly delicious cake!